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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26901844">Summer I</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dxlilith/pseuds/Dxlilith'>Dxlilith</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Little Sharp Noises [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>My Babysitter's A Vampire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, gratuitous use of google latin, post-season one, pre-season two, teenage angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:07:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,708</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26901844</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dxlilith/pseuds/Dxlilith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Summer vacation was in full swing but Ethan had barely left his room, let alone spoken to his best friend. It was the longest they’d been excommunicated for since the time Benny had gotten the measles and Ethan’s parents forbade him to see him until he got better. And that had only been for three days.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Little Sharp Noises [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1962898</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Summer I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=My+Wife">My Wife</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div>
  <p>Some nights it’s his neck she bites into instead of his wrist. She latches on, her fangs sinking in while the rest of her teeth settle across soft flesh. He begs for her to stop, that she doesn’t have to do this but still she sucks the poison out until he’s no longer in danger of dying. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Some nights she doesn’t stop. She continues to drink from his carotid artery until she drains every last drop of blood in his body.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Other nights she eats his hand right off the bone. She starts with his index finger, all her teeth sharp little razors that crunch through joints and tendons. She chews loudly and looks him in the eye the entire time. Shock keeping him from pulling away until there’s no longer a hand but a stump at his wrist. Sarah laps at the gush of blood from it like a thirsty child to a water fountain in the heat of summer.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Most nights however, he simply replays the moment Sarah became a full-fledged vampire. And every night it ends the same. Ethan waking up in a tangle of sheets, covered in sweat, his heart beating wildly against his ribcage as he attempts to catch his breath.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He sits up. The clock on his nightstand reads 3:30am which means he managed a whole hour of sleep before the nightmares woke him. He rips the sheets off and stands with the intention of going to the bathroom to wash his face but stops. He swears he sees a shadow in the window and he wants to chastise Rory for being a creeper and watching him sleep again but nothing’s there. The feeling doesn’t go away.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He walks over and slowly pushes the curtain aside. He is met by the soft darkness brought on by street lamps. Not a blade of grass is disrupted, not even an owl to hoot in the night. Ethan almost shakes it off but catches the blue light from across the yard.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The Weir house is completely dark except  for the one window on the second floor, the one parallel to Ethan’s. The blue light pulses against the opaque curtains and a fresh wave of guilt washes over Ethan.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>“Dude, c’mon! Video gaming and snacks till we burst! The comic con in Vancouver! Grandma’s even gonna teach me some more offensive magic to help us fight the bad guys! It’s time for some good ol’ B and E summer vacation madness!”</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>“I’m just worried about her...”</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>“Her? Who are...oh.” Benny frowns. “Sarah’s fine Ethan. She said so herself. She’s probably sowing her vampric oats now or whatever it is fledgings-turned-full-vamps do.”</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>“She never wanted to be a vampire though, I made her...”</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>“She saved your life E, she knew what she was doing. I’m sure she’s just....fanging out with Erica.” Benny was trying hard to remain patient but Ethan’s brooding was becoming insufferable. They couldn’t even finish a round of Halo without getting blown up because Ethan was too busy moping over Sarah.</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>“She shouldn’t have.”</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>“Oh yeah, like letting you die and become a bloodsucker lackey to Jesse was the better option?” Benny grinds his teeth, his hands squeezing the controller in his hand until it makes the plastic squeak that has Ethan finally looking at him. </em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>“Maybe?” Ethan offers quietly. </em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>“I get you really, really like Sarah but she was already a fledging, she made that choice way before we met her and she saved your life and if you’re just going to be an ungrateful emo then I’m gonna go spend my summer elsewhere.” Benny stands up, dropping his controller and swiping his messenger bag from off the back of the chair. Ethan doesn’t have a chance to respond before the door to his bedroom is slammed and Benny disappears behind it.</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>That was almost three weeks ago. Summer vacation was in full swing but Ethan had barely left his room, let alone spoken to his best friend. It was the longest they’d been excommunicated for since the time Benny had gotten the measles and Ethan’s parents forbade him to see him until he got better. And that had only been for three days.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He stares at his cellphone sitting on his desk. He could call Benny right now and apologize. He could ask to come over and they could play Zomborg Massacred III until they passed out. He could tell him how miserable his days and nights have been without Benny around to fill in on all the silent discomforts and dark edges that have been eating him alive. But first he was going to shower as the sweat was beginning to cool.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Benny places a delicate white lily onto his desk and waves his hand over it. The blue light surrounding it begins to dissipate, and he scribbles a note into the open journal beside it. Satisfied with his progress for the night, he leans back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head. Realizing that his bedroom floor is littered with burnt flowers, he smiles. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“<em>Limpus ordean</em>.” Benny whispers. Burnt petals and stems begin to shudder and gather, forming a conga line into the waste basket by the door. Books and papers laying about collect and march into his bookcase and even the sheets on his bed tremble into a neat formation. A slice of pizza floats by but he snatches it, taking a bite. It was ice cold but that was just fine with him.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He stands up as the spell fizzles out, inanimate objects returning to their perpetual stillness. Benny’s room is twenty times cleaner than he has ever seen it. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He walks over to his bed and sits down, reaching for his spellbook on the nightstand. That’s when he sees his cellphone screen flashing. For just a moment, he entertains not answering it. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Go for Benny."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Hey Benny! I’m so glad you picked up!" Rory's exuberant voice trills through the phone. "Is Ethan with you, he’s not in his room.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Are you creeping through his window again?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No....I’m sitting in the tree next to his window.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No, he’s not with me. I told you, we’re not really talking.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>”Still?” Rory sighs deeply. “You guys are best bros, you gotta patch things up before Ethan makes a new best friend.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Rory, is this what you wanted to talk about because if so, I’m hanging up.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No! Okay so I was out by White Lake, lookin’ for some midnight snacks when I think I found some fairies!!!” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Fairies?” Benny sits up, interest piqued. “Like Tinkerbell?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Well, I dunno. They were sparkly and blue and had wings and tiny little faces and they were dancing around a ring in the middle of the lake.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Sounds kinda like fairies...” Benny flips through his spellbook looking for an entry he was sure he’d seen on fey folk. “Were they doing anything else? Like stealing children?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I didn’t see kids but they were singing and spinning in circles. I figured Ethan would know what...”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“And I’m your second choice?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Well, yeah. Are you gonna let me in?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Benny looks up from his book and sees Rory waving at him from his window. He shakes his head and puts his phone in his pocket but gets up to let the vampire in.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Okay so you saw a bunch of fairies and they were singing. That doesn’t sound too bad.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Yeah! They were singing and dancing and oh! There were people swimming towards a glowing yellow light in the center of the lake. One of them was my mailman.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Okay, that sounds a little more magicky than anything Tink was capable of. We should go check it out but first!” Benny puts his spellbook down, making sure to dogear the page he’d been reading. “Nature calls!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Benny rushes out of his bedroom and heads down the hall to the bathroom. He is inside and has the toilet seat lifted when his phone buzzes in his pocket. Assuming it’s Rory being extra clingy, he answers it without looking. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Seriously, it’s just number one.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Uh, should I call you after?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“<em>Ethan?</em>” Benny almost drops his phone into the toilet, catching it at the last second.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Yeah. I uh....do you still need to pee?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I can hold it.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Ok.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Neither boy says anything else, the ambient noise through the phone filling their ears. Benny forgets all about his bladder.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“So uh...” Ethan starts. “I’m sorry.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Sorry? For what?” Benny smiles nervously but hates himself almost instantly. He would like nothing more than to be angry at Ethan for ignoring him and effectively ruining their summer. So much so that he was about to go out with Rory in the middle of the night on a fairy hunt. But he's not angry. If anything, he’s overjoyed to hear Ethan’s voice. It’s soft trill through the phone eliciting a bright feeling underneath his ribcage. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“For...everything? I’ve been raving at this pity party pretty hard.” Ethan sighs into the phone. Benny imagines Ethan sitting at his desk, running his hand through his hair in that nervous habit of his and smiles at the thought.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I get it man. You really care about her. I feel kinda bad about how the whole thing went down but we just gotta give her the space she needs to adjust.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You’re right, it just feels so...”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Crappy? Helpless even? It happens when you care about other people. Even the blood sucking kind.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“When did you become so mature?” There’s another breathy sigh from Ethan’s end which tells Benny he managed at least a chuckle.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“A Jedi is a master in all...”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Are you on the phone with Ethan?! Is he coming?” Rory’s voice filters through the bathroom door.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Is that...Rory?” Ethan asks.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Yeah, we were about to check out some suspicious fairy activity at the park. Wanna come?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I feel like I’m gonna regret it but yeah. I’ll meet you guys in five.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Relax your shoulders."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Okay.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No talking. Eyes closed. Center yourself, focus on only the bloodlust inside. Quell it. Tame it. Do not let it engulf you.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Erica’s words tumble over Sarah like burning coals, each syllable searing into her already frayed nerves. Mediation was supposed to relax a person but Sarah felt like the furthest thing from it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“We are the children of the night, the eternally young. We will outlast all the wars of man.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Despite being told otherwise, Sarah opens one eye to take a peek at her best friend. Erica sits across from her with a giant book opened on her lap. She was fully engrossed in the pages as she read aloud wearing the black satin pajamas Sarah had gotten her last Christmas. The entire situation reminded Sarah of when Erica had first discovered the Dusk series. She would sleep over almost every night to read to her the latest installments. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Sarah! Eyes closed!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Sorry!” Sarah shuts her eyes and attempts for maybe the fifth time to center herself.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>This was their third week in Aunt Esther’s cabin. It’s a small but well furnished cabin in the middle of nowhere Ontario. Large glass panels on the ceiling allowed the girls to bask in the warm glow of daylight without the risk of burning. It had been Erica’s idea to take Sarah out of Whitechapel to help her adjust to full-fledged vampirism. Sarah had been more than happy to get away at first, but now all she was left with were her thoughts and Erica’s vampire fangirling.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Can we do something else? This isn’t really working,” she huffs after another two minutes of pretending to meditate.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Because you’re not focusing.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Because there’s nothing to focus on.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Come on Sarah, you have to be feeling it! The bloodlust, the surge of power, the invincibility!!!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I'm bored, tired, and really bored. Can’t we just binge watch Pretty Little Liars or do facials or paint our nails or or...even go hiking?! This is our last summer before senior year! We can’t spend it cooped up inside doing council exercises!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Sarah don’t you get it? We’re immortal beings now! We have all the time in the world to do all that and develop our powers!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“But we can’t even see ourselves in the mirror or eat garlic and we have to wear a crapload of sunblock even in the winter! <em>Oh, and we drink the blood of innocent people to stay alive even though we're already dead!</em>” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Sarah had not meant to be so loud. It was like someone struck a match inside her and suddenly she was yelling.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I don’t get it.” Erica mutters, her face impassive. “Why’d you let Jesse bite you in the first place if you hate being a vampire so much?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Because!” But Sarah doesn’t have an answer. She could say he glamoured her into turning but that simply wasn’t true. Jesse was cute, and older, and he wanted her. Of course she'd wanted to give him whatever he asked of her! And if that wasn’t the stupidest thing ever, well then Sarah didn't know what was. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You didn’t even have to save Ethan, I could’ve easily drained...”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I <strong>had</strong> to save him!” Sarah surges forward, her hands digging into Erica’s shoulders. She pushes her onto her back, the giant book now propelled across the room. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Effectively turning you full vamp.” Erica’s eyes flash yellow, her fangs protruding as, Sarah is sure, are her own. They glare at one another, daring each other to make a move until Sarah realizes she is straddling her best friend with every intention of ripping her throat out.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Im sorry.” Sarah moves off and away from Erica. “I didn’t mean to...”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Vampire urges are <em>so much stronger </em>than fledgling urges. That’s why you meditate and get in touch with your inner calm. Keeps you from attacking any and everything.” Erica remains lying on the floor, her eyes closed, willing away her own anger.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The cabin fills with the sounds of the girls' breaths attempting to slow. This stretches over a span of two minutes or maybe a lifetime, Sarah isn’t sure.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> “I should have drank the poison.” Erica turns to look up at Sarah.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I should have said no to Jesse.” Sarah offers.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The girls share a look and slowly two smiles form.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I’ll get the popcorn, you set up Netflix?” Erica sits up.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Deal.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Rory, those are not fairies.” Benny hisses after peeking over the rock they’d been unceremoniously dumped behind. “Those are pixies!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“How was I supposed to know?” Rory shrugs, gently landing on his haunches. He helps Ethan up off the ground. He may have finally gotten the hang of landing on his own but with two passengers, not so much.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Are pixies bad?” Ethan peeks over the rock as well. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The pixies were toddler sized with blue skin and eyes that glowed a bright green. There were ten in all. Five floated in the water with their arms held out towards one another as they spun around a pulsing golden light. The other five hovered above them, their insect-like wings chittering loudly. All of them singing a strange and grating melody. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Ehhhh, they tend to be less malicious than fairies but just as likely to steal.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Do they steal people?” Ethan asks.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Slowly swimming across the lake towards the circle in too straight of a line were Whitechapel residents. Ten in all, all vaguely familiar to the boys; save their mailman who is the furthest swimmer out.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Usually it’s shiny stuff or something of value but that’s a portal so maybe they’re not stealing so much as trafficking?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“To where?” Ethan turns back to find Benny flipping through his spellbook.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“There’s nothing in here about pixies and portals.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Wait, how are you so sure that’s a portal?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I can feel the transdimensional magic coming from it.” Benny’s eyes meet Ethan’s, certainty burning in his expression before a sly grin forms on his lips. “And this portal detector I swiped from Grandma is lit up like a Christmas tree.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Benny reaches a hand into the collar of his shirt and pulls out a small marble. It’s translucent but at its center swirls of yellow and orange light spin madly. It hangs around his neck by a black chord he holds out to Ethan. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ethan has two fingers on the warm glass surface when his eyes cloud over in white. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>The Pixies' song fills his ears, his heart, and even his lungs. He doesn’t understand the words but he knows it’s exact intention. The portal swirls against the sunrise until it bursts. The townspeople, ten in all, cross into the portal as the pixies grow larger in size. Their features distort and twist, teeth retracting, eyes dimming, limbs stretching until they all look a perfect twin to the mailman.</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“E, you ok?” Benny’s voice drags Ethan from the vision. The color returns to his eyes and he is met with the concerned face of his best friend who’s hands are wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him up.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“The portal is part of a body snatching spell!” Ethan rushes out once he’s sitting up.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Heinous corpus!” Benny shouts gleefully into Ethan’s face.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Huh?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Instead of answering him, Benny let’s go of Ethan and pulls forward his trusty messenger. He rummages through it, searching for a very specific book.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Uh guys, these blue dudes do not look happy.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Both turn to Rory pointing a finger up. Hovering above them, looking surly — and larger now that they’re closer — are three pixies. Their green eyes fixed onto the boys.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“<em>Umos!</em>” Benny shouts, thrusting his palm upwards towards the pixies. Plumes of black smoke billow out from his hand and in an instant, he’s gone. The cloud continues to spill until Ethan is completely blinded, unable to even make out his own hands held out in front of him.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Hey, where’d every...” Rory’s voice comes from somewhere above only to be cut off by the chittering of wings. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Benny where...” now it’s Ethan’s turn to be cut off. A hand tugs at his shirt and pulls him down, forcing him onto his hands and knees.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“This spell isn’t supposed to last long, c’mon.” Ethan recognizes Benny’s voice and follows it. He says something else but it’s more of a mumble so he doesn’t catch it. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>They edge further and further from the smoke until it clears enough for Ethan to make out the bush they crawl right into. Once fully surrounded by its thorns and leaves, Benny turns to face him.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“It worked!” he whispers excitedly. Benny’s face is awash by a soft blue light and although his smile is large, the cut under his right eye is what catches Ethan’s attention.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Benny you’re hurt.” Ethan reaches out to check the wound but stops short when he sees the strange light surrounding his hand. “Huh?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>It’s not just his hand, it’s his arms and chest and legs; his entire body. He instinctively tries to wipe it off but it simply follows his motions, as if he were <em>wearing</em> the light itself.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Benny, what did you do?” Ethan asks cautiously, reigning in his anger because he hadn’t yet turned into a frog or blown up.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“A protection spell. It stops anything physical from hurting you.” Benny beams as he wipes at the cut on his face. It’s smaller than Ethan initially thought. Probably caused by catching on any number of thorns that surround them. Thorns that Ethan now realizes can’t actually touch him as several are tangled in his hair and caught on the fabric of his shirt but with no tearing or tugging.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Wait, why did you only cast it on me?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I didn’t.” Benny rushes, his smile faltering for a second. “ It was supposed to cover us both but I guess it only got you but I think I know the spell the pixies are using.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Benny crawls closer to Ethan, using the light emitting from him to read his spellbook. “It’s a complicated, super high level magic spell but basically you send in someone from our world to the Vitrum Mundum and take their place here, permanently.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Vitrum <em>what</em>?” Ethan looks at the text, all in Latin and completely unintelligible to him. He realizes then that this isn't Benny's spellbook. This one is much larger and the pages dustier than the small grimoire his grandmother passed onto him. Looking over at Benny’s messenger bag, Ethan notes several different books, new and old peeking out. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Vitrum Mundum, loosely translates to mirror or glass world. It’s a dimension that runs parallel to ours where a lot of magic beings comes from.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Like the pixies? But why would they need to take a human’s place?” Ethan looks back at Benny whose eyes are scanning the page in front of him. “I mean, they’re already here.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Benny shrugs. “Maybe it’s always a round trip and not a one way? This spell would keep them tethered to this world instead of the Mirror verse.” He looks back up at Ethan, pressing his lips into a displeased line. “There’s no stopping it though, portal’s already opening. We’d have to close it or wait for it to close on its own and I definitely don’t have enough mojo to close it.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Sunrise!” Ethan blurts out.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Sure. We could just hide in here until sun rise but I'm pretty sure with all that chanting, they're almost done with the ritual."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"No! In my vision, the sun came up and the portal exploded. I’m thinking we have until then, we just need to distract them for the next...” Ethan looks at his watch. “twenty minutes...”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Oh! I have just the spell!” Benny shoves the book back into his bag and pulls out a thinner, much newer looking one with an ornate green cover. There are several pages tagged by little multi-colored post-its but Benny almost intuitively opens to a specific page. He scans it before standing up, a bramble of thorns splintering as he does. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“<em>Golems</em> <em>desobillusio</em>!” An almost imperceptible wave of sound pulsates from Benny's open palm. The ground around them begins to shake. “You might want to get up.” Benny grabs at Ethan’s shoulder, helping him stand through the remaining thorns.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The earth continues to rumble beneath their feet as rocks begin to kick up, pebbles rolling alongside. The sound grows louder and catches the attention of a few of the pixies floating in the water. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>One particularly sharp looking stone shoots out over the water. More pixies look over, their chanting fading as some have stopped. Another rock sails and lands smack across a pixie’s nose. It screeches and breaks away from the circle, forcing the rest to stop chanting entirely. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The remaining pixies turn to face the boys, varying looks of murder and surprise on their grubby faces. But more stones become airborne and strike at the pixies mercilessly, one right after the other. They scramble and scatter but the stones are still able to catch eyes, noses, and wings.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Way to go B!” Ethan cries out.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“It was supposed to summon a golem..." Benny looks up from his book and catches Ethan's euphoric expression. "Buuut I guess this works too.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hey guys! A little help!" The boys look up to find Rory being flung between two pixies. His vampiric speed and flight of no use as the pixies continuously throw him back and forth like a ragdoll. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Stand back.” Benny puts away his spellbook, swinging his bag around so it was at his back and holds out his arms. “Vinus corpus baliaris!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>There’s a loud snapping noise, followed by a series of cracking. The brambles around them twist and bend and grow exponentially out from the sides. Benny twirls his wrists and slowly raises his arms, the vines following suit. He guides them up and over to where the pixies are playing hackey-sack with Rory. He curls his hands into fists and the vines coil around either pixie, pulling them away from Rory. Once freed, the vampire drops to the ground with a dull thud.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Thanks Benny!" Rory whoops with a goofy grin on his face.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yeah Benny, you're on fire tonight!" Ethan enthuses.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'm earth aligned.” Benny says through a clenched jaw.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>It's then that Ethan notices the flush look on his face and the sweat trickling from under his hairline. “Spells like this...” the veins in Benny’s arm bulge as he brings his arms down, tugging the vines into a backwards arch. They groan under the pressure as the pixies attempt to free themselves. They have all of three seconds before Benny claps his hands together. That’s when they’re sent catapulting across the lake, disappearing somewhere beyond the forest on the other side. "A piece of cake."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Benny drops his arm, huffing out a breath or two before offering Ethan a wiry smirk. He promptly passes out. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Benny!" Immediately Ethan is on his knees and lifting Benny's head off the ground, searching for an injury. As he does, the blue light surrounding him begins to flicker and fade until it completely dissipates. He checks for Benny’s pulse and just barely finds it. "C'mon B, you're okay." </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What do you think happened?” Rory is sitting on his knees as well, leaning forward to get a better look at Benny.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I don’t know but help me get him up.” Ethan pulls Benny up into a sitting position. He tucks one of his arms underneath Benny’s so he can slip through and begin to prop him on the one side. Rory goes to mimic the motion on the other side but Benny’s body surges sideways and his head buries itself into the crook of Ethan’s neck.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“M’up...I’m up.” Warm lips and even warmer breath pushes against sensitive skin. Benny groans and pushes back enough to lift his head and look Ethan in the eye. "Ran out of juice."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Are you okay?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Awesome." Benny offers a lopsided smile but closes his eyes, seemingly falling asleep on the spot. He sways a little before falling forward into Ethan who this time was ready. He indicates to Rory to help him and both boys position themselves on either side of Benny to stand up. Because Ethan was shorter, Benny droops into him more but Ethan was well versed in dragging around a half-conscious Benny.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"What do we do about them?" Rory's free hand points to the lake. Crawling out of the water, battered and bruised, are several of the pixies. Panic catches in Ethan's throat but only for a second. The lights of the portal have dimmed to a soft glow barely visible through the naturally murky waters and the Whitechapel residents, despite looking utterly confused, are swimming towards the shore.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"The portal's closing. I don't think they can finish the ritual now so I say we high-tail it outta here before they realize we’re the reason why.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“All aboard!” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p> </p>
  </div>
</div><div>
  <p>“Erica, you still awake?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Of course. Vampires don’t need sleep remember?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Oh yeah...”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Sarah lies under a rather fluffy blue blanket with Erica sharing it on the other side of the bed. Both girls were on their phones scrolling through social media, checking emails, and whatever else teenagers used their phones for at three in the morning.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“We can sleep if you want. Just like we can eat. We just don’t need it.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I know.” Sarah sighs.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What is it?” Erica looks up from her phone screen.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You think the guys are ok?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Erica snorts. “Those derfnerders are just fine. Dork one would've blown up your phone if they weren’t. <em>Sarah help me, I’m a useless seer and my witch boyfriend’s spell misfired again</em>.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Don’t forget about Rory.” Sarah chuckles.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“How can I?” Erica holds up her phone, swiping up as she does to reveal a massive yet completely one-sided text thread full of texts, audio messages, pictures and videos; all from Rory.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“O.M.G! How haven’t you blocked him?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“He may be a complete idiot but knows enough about technology to always bypass ANY block I put, even when I change my number. So I just gave up.” She puts her phone down. “You can’t always come to their rescue anyway. What’s gonna happen when we leave Whitechapel? I mean we could fly back but still, it’ll be a hassle.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Wait, why are we leaving Whitechapel?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“The plan Sarah.” Erica remarks with the annoyance of someone who has to repeat herself to someone who should practically be telepathically linked to her. Even though neither girl has actually learned that particular vampiric skill yet. When Sarah’s only response is to raise an eyebrow, Erica’s eyes flash yellow. “Did you honestly forget the plan?!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What...plan?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I can’t believe you!” Erica rips the blanket off of herself and stands up, walking towards the door. “Some best friend you are, can’t even remember a pact we made on your birthday.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Oh! That plan?!” Sarah cries. She uses her vampiric speed to rush over to Erica, placing a hand on the taller girl’s shoulder. She waits until Erica makes eye contact before continuing. “You still want to move out to California with me?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Yes! Of course!” Erica lets her arms falls to her sides as she continues. “And now that we’re both hot, it’s gonna be twenty times better. Maybe not so much the beaches and sun but definitely the hot guys and even hotter blood.” Erica licks her fangs with a far-off, almost lecherous look in her eye. Which only serves to make Sarah burst into a fit of giggles. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“As long as we invest in some <em>really</em> <em>strong</em> sunblock, I’m game.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p> </p>
  </div>
</div><div>
  <p>“Thanks again Rory.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No problemo amigo.” Rory responds as he climbs out of Ethan’s bedroom window. Once outside, he hovers in place. “Is Benny gonna be okay?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Yeah.” Ethan offers Rory a small smile. He can feel the tiny ripples of worry coming from the usually hyper vampire. “I’m gonna keep an eye on him tonight and in the morning get his grandma to check him out. I can sense he’s fine but super drained. Nothing a little sleep can’t cure.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Cool, I’ll come by in the morning and maybe the three of us can finally play Robo-Ninja Five!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Definitely. See ya tomorrow Rory.” Ethan waves the blonde off, watching him disappear into a blur of branches. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ethan takes a moment to close his eyes and lets out a long sigh. He listens to the familiar sounds of Benny’s snoring and yawns himself. All those sleepless nights were closing in on him as the adrenaline from their adventure leaves his body. So he takes a seat on the floor, tucking his knees under his chin and lays his head facing Benny. He weighs the pros and cons of getting back up and retrieving Benny’s sleeping bag from his closet or simply passing out on the floor with him. It would not be the first time.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I’m up!” Benny calls out in a sudden burst of energy, sitting up. He looks around, recognizing his surroundings almost immediately and turns to Ethan who is quietly laughing at him. With bleary eyes and a lazy smile he says. “Hey E.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Hey B, how are you feeling?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Awesome." Benny yawns. "We won right?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yeah Benny, we won. Thanks to you." Ethan bumps his shoulder into Benny. "I'm actually really impressed,  it's like you've actually been practicing."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh you know, I've had loads of free time." Benny smiles but Ethan's reaction is to look away. "Hey, what I...”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'm sorry."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hey," Benny reaches out and tugs at Ethan's shoulder until he turns his head, a dejected look on his face. "Don't get all emo on me now."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"It just really sucks Benny. I don't know what to do but feel guilty. About Sarah, about ditching you, even Rory made me feel bad just now."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Okay, serious question here E and you have to answer it honestly so we can move the hell on." Tiny scratches litter all of Benny’s face now that Ethan is looking at him directly. Nothing serious and sure to disappear in a day or so but his jaw is set firm and dark green eyes burn into Ethan.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Okay."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What if Jesse had bit me instead of you and Sarah sucked out the poison? Would you be this upset at me for almost dying?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Of course not!” Ethan almost shouts.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Then why are you blaming yourself?” Benny reaches out again, pulling Ethan's wrists so that the shorter boy had to turn and fully face him. In an uncharacteristic show of physicality, Benny slides his hands over Ethan's arms until either one is placed on top of his shoulders and pulls him towards him, forcing Ethan to make eye contact. "She reacted faster than any of us and saved you. Yeah she’s a full vamp now but you’re still alive and she's still Sarah."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I can’t help it Benny." Ethan's voice is barely above a whisper. He wanted to be logical about this. He wanted to be okay. He wanted to hang out with his best friend who was staring back at him so intently. "It’s eating me up inside.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What you feel and what you can actually do about it are two very separate things.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ethan has no response. A moment ago he was drowning in guilt but now he wanted to understand the heaviness coming from Benny. It was a familiar feeling, something that always seem to linger around them when they were alone. As if Benny were hiding something, maybe not even aware he was. Something that Ethan’s abilities were just too novice to decipher.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Besides,” Benny now smiles. “You gotta enjoy whatever else life has goin’ for ya.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Like robo-ninjas five?” Ethan attempts a smile.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Like robo-ninjas five.” Benny leans back and let’s his arms fall away from Ethan. “Now let’s catch some Zs and tomorrow we begin our summer vacation, redux.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Sounds like a plan.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>With years of sleepover experience, the boys shuffle about until Benny is lying in his sleeping bag and Ethan in his bed. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Good night Benny.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Night E.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>And if it takes Ethan an additional half an hour of listening to Benny snoring to fall asleep, there is no one awake to notice.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My rework of season two with just a little more heart. All the spells are just fun google-latin searches.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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